A plug-in connector part of this kind comprises a housing and a plug-in portion that is arranged on the housing and can be plugged into an associated mating plug-in connector part in a plug-in direction and is engaged with the mating plug-in connector part when in a connected position, at least one electrical contact element being arranged on the plug-in portion for electrically contacting the mating plug-in connector part. A locking element is movably arranged on the housing, has a locking position for locking the plug-in connector part in the connected position with respect to the mating plug-in connector part, and can be moved out of the locking position to release the connection between the plug-in connector part and the mating plug-in connector part.
A plug-in connector part of this kind can, for example, be designed as a charging plug on a charging system for charging an electrically operated vehicle (also called an electric vehicle). A plug-in connector part of this kind can, for example, be arranged on a charging cable and be intended to be plugged into a charging socket on a vehicle. In order to charge an electric vehicle, the charging plug is plugged into the charging socket and, when inserted, establishes an electrical connection for transmitting a charging current in the form of an alternating current or direct current.
In this context, the locking element serves to ensure that the plug-in connector part cannot be unintentionally pulled out of the associated mating plug-in connector part during a charging process, which would lead to the charging process being interrupted. As a result of the locking provided by the locking element when the plug-in connector part is in the connected position with the mating plug-in connector part, the plug-in connector part is held in a defined position relative to the mating plug-in connector part and cannot be released from the mating plug-in connector part counter to the plug-in direction.
Plug-in connector parts comprising a locking element are known from US 2013/0047687 A1, US 2011/0034053 A1 and DE 10 2013 204 904 A1, for example.
In a conventional plug-in connector part, as described for example in US 2013/0047687 A1, the locking element can be actuated by hand, for example with the thumb of the hand which grips the plug-in connector part being pressed onto an actuation portion on the locking element. As a result, the locking element can be raised out of the locked position thereof and the locking of the plug-in connector part to the associated mating plug-in connector part is therefore released.